Locking socket



May3, 1932. G, J HENRY 1,856,214

LOCKING SOCKET Filed Aug. 20,1928

Patented May 3, 1932 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE GERALD J. HENRY, 0FBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PASS 82; SEYMOUR, INC., 01* SGLVAY,NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK LOCKING SOCKET Application filedAugust 20, 1928. Serial No. 300,777.

This invention relates to lamp receptacles or sockets, and moreparticularly to lamp sockets provided with means for locking lampstherein.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel andimproved form of lamp socket with locking device.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide in asocket equipped with a lamp locking device, a guide means or track forthe key adapted to engage the locking device in order that it may morereadily be guided to the locking device, particularly where the socketis in a deep reflector and there is but little space between the lampand the reflector.

Other and further features and objects of the invention *ill be moreapparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of theaccompanying drawings and following spec itication, wherein disclosed asingle exemplary embodiment of the invention with the understanding,however, that such changes may be made therein as fall within the scopeof the appended claims without departing from the spiritof theinvention.

in said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a lamp socket equipped with the presentinvention, a portion thereof being broken away to show the lockingmechanism; and

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

it has heretofore been customary to equip certain lamp receptacles orsockets with some form of locking means to prevent the unauthorizedremoval of lamps from the sock cts. Such loc ting means are oftenoperated by the actuation or manipulation of a spindle or similar deviceby means of a suitable key or wrench. Often such a key or wrench must beof considerable length to reach between a lamp and a deep reflectorwhich may be supported from the same socket. Oftentimes, as shown inFig. 1, there is but little space between the lamp and the reflector,and it is difficult to locate the position of the locking means aroundthe periphery of the socket and to engage the key with the lockingmeans. The present invention contemplates, therefore, the provision of aconvenient guide means into which the end of the key may be placedwithout difficulty so that the key may be followed along the guide untilit engages the locking means.

In the drawings, 10 is the main shell or outer casing of a lampreceptacle, commonly known as the reflector type, having the removablebase 11 between which and the main shell the flange 13 of a reflector ll may be engaged. In the present instance, the socket is provided in thecentral recess with a conventional screw shell 15 adapted to engage thethreaded portion on the base of a lamp 16 in the usual manner. A lockingmechanism 18 is adapted to project a suitable locking member '19 throughan opening 20 in the screw shell to engage the base of the lamp andprevent the same from being rotated. Any suitable form of lockingmechanism may be employed, but it is preferred to use one of the typesdisclosed in the applications of Daniel M. LeFever, Serial No. 196,060,filed June 2, 1927, and Mark N. Russell, Serial No. 274,919, filed May3, 1928. These locking mechanisms and others operate by the rotation ofa suitable shaft or spindle 21 which usually has an irregular shapedhead 22 engageable by a socket of complementary shape on the head 23 ofa long handled wrench or key 2 1. The handle of the key is ofsul'licient length so that it is convenient to reach in between the lamp16 and the reflector 1 1 which may be quite close to the lamp as shown.Here the reflector is deep, and in a dark position it is sometimesdiflicult to locate the locking mechanism.

To obviate this difficulty, the surface of the outer shell of the socketthrough which the key is adapted to project to engage the look ingmechanism is provided with a track or guide means to lead the key to thelocking means. In the present instance the locking mechanism is largelyreceived in a recess 25' which opens into the front face 26 of the shellmember 10. A suitable guide means such as the shallow groove 27 isarranged around this face, as best shown in Fig. 2 and the opposite endsof the groove enter the recess 25. Preferably the end 22 of the lookingspindle is below the bottom of this groove so that the key will drop onthe same without any difiiculty when it moves from the groove into therecess.

It has been found in actual practice that a considerable saving in timeis effected where the present invention is used in sockets of the typeshown, and others, where glassware and shades obstruct ready access tothe locking mechanism. Not only is considerable time saved, but thepossibility of breaking lamps, glassware, shades and the like is largelyovercome, both when inserting new lamps and when removing old ones, bothof which times require that the lamps be dark.'

'Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lamp socket, in combination, an outer shell, a screw shelltherein, a fiat annular peripheral face on said outer shell adjacent theopen end of said screw shell, a lamp locking mechanism for said sockethaving an operator engageable through an openingrin said face, said facehaving a grooved track thereon including said opening concentric withsaid screw shell to guide a key to said operator.

2. The combination with a deep reflector, of a lamp socket mounted atthe apex of said reflector, a screw shell in said socket, a lamp in saidscrew shell and having a portion in proximity to the reflector, alocking means for said lamp having an operator engageable by a keypassing between the said lamp and reflector and a circumferential guidegroove on said socket to lead the key directly to the operator.

In testimony whereof I hereunto alfix my signature.

GERALD J. HENRY.

